10-Day Discover Simien Mountain and Bale Mountain Tour

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Addis- Gondar then Drive to Sankaber

From Addis Ababa to Gondar, we'll meet you at Gondar Airport or your hotel and then take a smooth drive along a well-paved road to the park headquarters in Debark. The journey covers 100 km and will take approximately two hours. Once you arrive at the headquarters, we'll organize our park permits and meet our scout. After that, you'll drive for another hour before embarking on your first introductory hike. This initial trek is an easy one along the northern edge of the escarpment, offering beautiful views of the foothills and plains of northern Ethiopia. During the hike, you can expect to see Gelada baboons. You will encounter gelada baboon along this hike and have wild life viewing. Your overnight stay will be at Sankaber.

Main Destination:

Simien Mountains National Park

Best Time To Visit September to December (Beautiful scenery)

High Season October to April (Lodges are busy)

Best Weather October to April

Wildlife in Simien Mountains NP

Gelada Monkey Abundant

Walia Ibex Occasional

Ethiopian Wolf Rare

Klipspringer Rare

Bushbuck Rare

Show more

Golden Jackal Rare

Hyena Rare

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Simien Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Drive Sankaber – Gich

From Sankaber, begin hiking following the ridge and look out over the foothills 800m down. From the ridge, descend into the valley and view the Jinbar River plunging into the Geech Abyss. After some time at the waterfall, continue to Geech village, where you will find your second campsite.

Main Destination:

Simien Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Simien Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Drive Gich – Chennek

After breakfast, start on a 7-8 hour hike of the best views in the Simien Mountains. En route, pass through Imet Gogo. Here, you will have reached an altitude of 3,926m and can view the fantastic landscape from 360 degrees. You can see the canyon below, distant ridges, and seemingly never-ending valleys at this height and viewpoint.
After Imet Gogo, hike to the viewpoint at Innateye Valley at an altitude of 4,070m. Lunch will be here, and then you will descend to Chennek (3,600m) for your third campsite.

Main Destination:

Simien Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Simien Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Chenek – Gondar, 5-6 hrs

You'll embark on an ascent to Buwahit, the second highest peak in the Simien Mountains, standing at 4,430 meters. This trek offers not only stunning views of the surrounding landscape but also the opportunity to spot the Walia Ibex, a unique species native to this region of Ethiopia. Along the way, you'll also have a chance to see Ras Dejen, the highest peak in Ethiopia, which reaches 4,543 meters. After enjoying the breathtaking scenery, you’ll make your way back down to Chenek Camp, where our vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Gondar, a journey of approximately four hours.

Main Destination:

Gondar (City)

Accommodation:

AG Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Drive Addis Ababa to rift valley lakes and Debrezit to Ziway

Highlights: Wetland birds, lake photography. Descend into the Great Rift Valley, stopping first at the crater lakes of Debre Zeit (Bishoftu), where you can spot African Pygmy Goose, Malachite Kingfisher, and Black Crake. Continue to Lake Ziway, known for its easy-to-spot African Fish Eagles, Hammerkops, Marabou Storks, and Yellow-billed Storks. The light here is perfect for bird-in-flight photography.

Main Destination:

Lake Ziway

Best Time To Go October to January (Little rainfall)

High Season October to January (It is busier)

Best Weather

Accommodation:

Haile Resort Ziway

• Mid-range hotel located at Lake Ziway

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Lake Langano and Abijatta-Shalla National Park

Highlights: Shorebirds, flamingos, woodland species, Spend the morning around Lake Langano, where the surrounding acacia woodland is home to White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, and Bare-faced Go-away Bird. Then explore Abijatta Shalla National Park, where the saline lakes attract thousands of Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Avocets, and Black-winged Stilts a dream for wide angle and landscape shots.

Main Destination:

Lake Langano

Accommodation:

Hara Langano Eco Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located at Lake Langano

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+5 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Bale mountain national park

Drive to Bale Mountains National Park, one of Ethiopia’s best birding destinations. Stop in Dinsho, where you may see the endemic Rouget’s Rail, Abyssinian Long claw, and Blue-winged Goose. The high-altitude meadows are also frequented by Mountain Nyala, Menkir Sheep, and Wattled Ibis, excellent subjects for wildlife photography.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Best Time To Visit November to February (Little rain)

High Season October to January (Park is never busy)

Best Weather November to February

Wildlife in Bale Mountains NP

Ethiopian Wolf Common

Mountain Nyala Common

Warthog Common

Menelik's
Bushbuck Occasional

Guereza Monkey Occasional

Show more

Olive Baboon Occasional

Bohor Reedbuck Occasional

Starck's Hare Occasional

Giant Mole-rat Occasional

Bale Monkey Rare

Giant Forest Hog Rare

Golden Jackal Rare

Gelada Monkey None

Walia Ibex None

Accommodation:

Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel

• Budget hotel located less than 1hr drive from Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Explores Sanetti Plateau – Roof of the Horn

Highlights: Ethiopian Wolf, rare endemics
Venture onto the Sanetti Plateau, Africa’s highest all weather road. Here you'll search for the critically endangered Ethiopian Wolf the world's rarest canid. Bird species include Spot-breasted Lapwing, Chestnut-naped Francolin, and Abyssinian Catbird. The moorlands and giant lobelias provide a surreal setting for wide-angle nature shots.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel

• Budget hotel located less than 1hr drive from Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Explores Harenna Forest Exploration

Highlights: Afro-montane forest species, endemic birds
Descend to the lush Harenna Forest, a unique cloud forest ecosystem. Look for Abyssinian Crimsonwing, White-cheeked Turaco, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, and Sharpe’s Starling. The light filtering through the misty canopy offers ideal conditions for artistic photography. Wildlife may include bushbucks and rare monkeys.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Bale Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located inside Bale Mountains NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Fly Goba to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, begin your return journey to Addis Ababa. Enjoy optional birding en route with stops at wetlands or escarpments depending on time and interests. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Ethiopian farewell dinner with live music and dance before being transferred to the airport for your departure.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.